Kita spotlights Saudi digital economy in new white paper at LEAP East

Kita unveiled a new white paper at LEAP East in Hong Kong on how food-delivery platforms, AI and smart logistics can support Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation. The report also highlights the role of small businesses, local partnerships and broader Saudi-China economic ties as the Kingdom pushes ahead with Vision 2030.

Why it matters: - The white paper frames food delivery as more than a consumer service, positioning digital platforms as part of Saudi Arabia’s commerce, logistics and entrepreneurship infrastructure. - The report argues that AI, data tools and smart logistics can help restaurants improve efficiency, reach more customers and make better operating decisions. - The findings align with Saudi Arabia’s push to expand the digital economy, diversify beyond oil and scale support for small and medium-sized businesses.

What happened: - Kita launched a new white paper during its participation in the first LEAP East conference in Hong Kong, the event’s first edition held outside Saudi Arabia. - Tony Qiu, vice president of Meituan and CEO of Kita, presented the paper during his session at the conference. - The white paper is titled “From the Silk Road to the Last Mile: Food Delivery as a New Horizon for Saudi-Chinese Partnership.” - The report examines how digital platforms, artificial intelligence and smart logistics can support Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.

The details: - The paper draws on the food-delivery sector in Saudi Arabia to show how digital platforms can support trade, logistics and entrepreneurship. - It cites Saudi-China economic ties that are expanding in technology, innovation, knowledge exchange, trade and investment. - Trade between Saudi Arabia and China reached $107.53 billion in 2024. - Non-oil activity accounted for 54.8% of Saudi GDP in 2024. - The report says online food-delivery users in Saudi Arabia could reach about 19.3 million by 2028. - That growth is linked to urbanization and major events scheduled in the Kingdom, including Expo Riyadh 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034. - The paper says Saudi Arabia has more than 1.7 million small and medium-sized enterprises. - Those businesses provide about 8.88 million jobs and contribute nearly 22.9% of GDP. - The report says delivery platforms can help smaller businesses, including local restaurants and heritage brands, access technology and expand to broader customer groups. - Kita says it has built a network of more than 50,000 restaurant partners and more than 25,000 delivery couriers since entering Saudi Arabia in September 2024.

Between the lines: - The paper is also a pitch for where platform businesses can expand next: workforce development, localization programs, logistics for major events, smart mobility, culture, tourism and health-related technology. - The Saudi market is being presented as a case study for how global technology companies can pair local demand with international expertise. - By tying food delivery to Vision 2030, Kita is signaling that delivery apps can play a role in broader economic policy, not just consumer convenience.

What's next: - Kita says it will keep investing in technology, supporting partners and building local partnerships in Saudi Arabia. - The company hopes the report will deepen dialogue among business leaders, investors and policymakers about the future of the Kingdom’s digital economy. - The paper points to further opportunities for cooperation between technology platforms and the public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia. - Those opportunities include national talent development, localization, SME support and digital infrastructure for large-scale events.